Masquerade
by PumpkinSparks8616
Summary: Naruto has always hid his real self behind a façade. He drops it when the lives of himself and his teammates are on the line. How will they and the rest of the village react to this new Naruto? Yaoi. NaruSasu. Smart!Naruto


Chapter One.

_Contains mentions of abuse, OOCness and SLASH. If you don't like, don't read._

Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto.

Naruto glanced around himself in horror. It was supposed to be a simple mission; it was only C-rank for kami-sama's sake. They had been on their way back to the village when they had been caught in an ambush.

There were twenty-seven of them and reinforcements were coming. Sakura had already gone down and now Kakashi was fighting and trying to protect her but it was eleven to one and they were all S-rank criminals and even the Copy Cat Nin was struggling. Sasuke was up against nine of them and Naruto could see that he wouldn't last long.

Naruto was fighting seven of them but he could feel a few gashes on his arms and legs.

**-You have no choice Kit-** A deep voice boomed in his mind and Naruto shook his head.

_- I always have a choice. I'm not doing it-_ Naruto thought.

**-If you don't do it then your comrades are going to die-** Kyuubi hissed and Naruto closed his eyes for a second earning him another gash on his arm which hurt like crazy. **–If you don't do it then I will-**

_-You can't! They'll know!- _Naruto cried desperately into his mind.

**-If you don't do it then they won't have a chance to know and they'll all die!- **Kyuubi yelled and Naruto flinched but nodded and placed his hands together. The seven attacking Nins leapt backwards expecting some big jutsu. But they were all surprised.

"Kei." Naruto muttered harshly as if dispelling a genjustsu and suddenly a stream of violet chakra seemed to envelope him. Everyone seemed to stop and stare at him as the chakra overtook him. He screamed in pain as his bones seemed to stretch and move under his skin.

Then just as suddenly as it came, the chakra stopped. Naruto fell to the ground panting for a moment. He closed his eyes for a second before they snapped open. The azure blue glowing in the dim light.

The Nins all were confused. The person they had been attacking wasn't there anymore. Instead was a being of unnatural beauty with fox ears and a tail.

Naruto's hair which had been in unruly spikes now spiked in a controlled was, much like the fourth's hair style but the tips of his hair were a deep blood red. His face seemed to have lost all of its baby fat in that moment and now he sported high cheeks bones that highlighted his eyes. His whisker marks were more defined but still there.

He stood and the ninjas all frowned. This person was shorter than the bouncing blonde idiot had been. He was also a lot thinner with feminine curves. Sasuke and Kakashi's eyes widened as they saw the many more scars littering Naruto's arms and legs and face.

Naruto turned to glance at the Shinobi who had been attacking him and a feral grin lit up his face at their expressions. Wonder and Fear.

"Didn't expect that did you?" He asked his voice seeming to ring in the silence of the clearing. That was all it took to break the spell over the people and they attacked again but before they even reached Naruto he disappeared.

He appeared behind one of the Nin and in moments the man was dead. A kunai through his throat. Naruto then moved so quickly that no one could see him. Not even Kakashi and Sasuke who had activated their sharingan.

Naruto appeared in front of Sasuke who stared at him as he quickly sliced through the shinobi he had been fighting. He then appeared in front of Sakura and Kakashi.

"Get her out of here." He said sharply. "There are reinforcements coming by the dozens."

"How do you know?" Kakashi asked frowning.

"The Kyuubi." Naruto said and Kakashi's eyes widened before he nodded. He picked Sakura up from the ground and quickly disappeared into the trees.

Naruto quickly killed the few remaining ninjas before turning to Sasuke.

"Get out of here now." He said and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Dobe, I'm not going." He said and Naruto glared at him.

"I am going to use a jutsu that will kill everything within fifty metres of me. If you don't go now you'll be caught up in the blast. Now go!" Naruto yelled and Sasuke stared at him a moment longer something flashing in the depths of his obsidian eyes before he nodded and took off after Kakashi.

Naruto took a deep breath and began making hand signs as he saw the reinforcements run into the clearing.

_"Erai Oni Doshaburi Moeteimasu no jutsu." _Naruto yelled loudly and suddenly the air around him began to turn to flames and the flames swirled in a spiral around him before shooting out in every direction. Not leaving anything in its wake.

As the fire faded around him Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath flinching as he smelt the burnt flesh of the enemy.

He fell backwards onto the ground in his exhaustion. That jutsu took up most of his chakra. He could feel himself about to fall unconscious and he knew it was dangerous to do so. He might have missed a few of the shinobi and they could kill him easily now. He started as he heard someone in the now massive clearing he had created from the fire but he was so tired, he couldn't bring himself to move.

He felt someone gently brush his hair away from his forehead and the person sighed heavily.

"Dobe." A soft voice muttered and that was the last thing Naruto heard before he passed out.

-------

Naruto could feel himself on the brink of waking. But he didn't want to. He couldn't bring himself to face the light and the horrible questions he knew would be waiting for him. So he kept his eyes closed and tried to fall back into blissful unconsciousness, but it wasn't meant to be for the next moment the door to what he assumed was his room burst open loudly causing him to jump.

"Naruto, are you awake?" A voice asked next to his ear and Naruto sighed before nodding and slowly opening his eyes. He glanced around the room to see Iruka sitting by his bedside with Tsunade at the door looking like she was about to kill someone. Kakashi was by the window staring at him, Sakura was checking the machines by his bedside and Sasuke was standing in the corner of the room his eyes intense as they watched his every move.

"What happened to you?!" Tsunade shrieked and Naruto winced slightly at the loud noise. His hearing now enhanced thanks to his change. He pushed himself up so that he was sitting.

"Um, would you believe me if I said nothing?" Naruto mumbled and Tsunade glared at him.

"Naruto I think it's time you told everyone." Iruka said slowly and Naruto turned wide eyes to him.

"Yes, please enlighten us." Kakashi said coldly and Naruto flinched.

"I know all of you are angry at me." He said quietly. "And you have a right to be. I lied to you all, but I can't tell you. I'm not allowed. Now in front of _certain_ people." His eyes flashed to Sakura and Sasuke.

"Naruto. If you're talking about your…inner problem. We aren't allowed to talk about it in front of the young. But you are free to tell whomever you choose." Tsunade said and Naruto frowned.

"What do you mean? The Third told me that I wasn't allowed to tell anyone." Naruto said.

"That was probably to protect you. Not many people would accept it." Iruka said and Naruto sighed heavily.

"So now I have no choice." He mumbled.

"Will someone tell us what you are talking about?!" Sakura said annoyed, her hands on her hips.

"You need to tell them Naruto, then tell us about your change." Tsunade said, it was an order, not as suggestion. Naruto nodded rubbing his forehead before he looked up at Sakura.

"What do you know of the nine-tailed Kyuubi Sakura-chan?" He asked quietly and Sakura frowned.

"It was one of the nine demon lords. It attacked Konoha about nineteen years ago. The Fourth Hokage destroyed it. Why is that important?" She asked and Naruto smiled wryly.

"Because the Fourth Hokage did not destroy it." He said and he glanced at Sasuke who was frowning in what looked like confusion.

"Well what happened then?" He asked and Naruto laughed slightly.

"He sealed it inside of me. I was born that day and the only infant young enough he could use. My body was able to adapt to having a demon inside of it. He gave his life and mine to seal Kyuubi." Naruto waited for their reactions. First shock, they just stood there unmoving watching him, then the emotions came. Sakura- astonishment and what surprisingly looked like realisation. Like she should have known. Sasuke- complete and utter disbelief.

"That's impossible." He spat and Naruto shrugged.

"It's true though." He said and Sasuke shook his head.

"No, it can't be." He said his frown deepening.

"If you think about it, it makes perfect sense." Sakura whispered. "The amazing chakra limit. The ability to keep going." She gasped. "And that time! In the Rain Country! When the complete and utter killer intent came from where you and Sasuke were. While you were fighting! God I am _so _stupid! All of the signs were there."

Naruto glanced at her and was relieved to see that there was no horror or disgust on her face.

"You aren't stupid Sakura-chan." Naruto whispered and Sakura smiled at him.

"No, just oblivious and so wrapped up in my own problems I didn't notice." A frown came over her face. "I'm sorry Naruto."

"It's okay Sakura-chan." Naruto said and she smiled weakly at him before hugging him tightly.

"God you are _so _skinny. What happened?" Sakura asked and Naruto took a deep breath before turning to Iruka who nodded.

"Well, I had just turned six. It was my birthday actually. I was eating my annual ramen feast. When I suddenly felt really, really dizzy. Iruka-sensei told me to lie down for a little bit so I did but then we merged." Naruto stopped for a moment.

"What?" Tsunade asked frowning.

"Well that's what the Third called it anyway when Iruka went to get him. I was in so much pain. I couldn't think past it. It felt as though everything was burning. Which technically it was."

"What are you talking about Dobe?" Sasuke snapped and Naruto flinched slightly.

"Kyuubi and I merged. Before that she was caged in my mind. Chained behind bars and a seal. Now she is free to roam. The only few set backs are the stuff like since she's in there too I have to eat for two. That's why I can eat so much ramen in one go. She has a big appetite." Naruto said smiling slightly.

"Iruka, you knew about this?" Kakashi asked and Iruka nodded.

"Like Naruto said I was there when it happened the first time. It was terrifying. He wouldn't stop screaming. He begged me to make it stop. But I couldn't." Iruka said looking to the floor his eyes clouding slightly in the memory.

"You couldn't have done anything Iruka-sensei. Kyuubi told me afterwards that even if I had used pain killers or whatever the merging taking place would have just burnt the medicines anyway. It was changing my cells." Naruto said clenching his fists slightly.

"What do you mean when you say changing your cells?" Tsunade asked quietly, afraid of the answer.

"You know, it's funny really. When I was little I was so proud. When all of the villagers called me 'monster' 'demon'. When they threw things at me, when things got so bad I was in bed for days afterwards. The only thing that got me through was thinking that I am not the demon. That Kyuubi was just inside of me, she wasn't me. Now, everything the villagers have ever said to me is true. Kyuubi and I _are _the same person. She is me. I am her. I am now part demon. Part 'monster'."

"You are _not_ a monster Naruto." Kakashi said slowly and Naruto shrugged.

"Naruto, you said 'her'." Sakura said suddenly and Naruto frowned.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"When you referred to the Kyuubi. You said her." She said and Naruto suddenly laughed loudly.

"Oh yeah. You don't know. Kyuubi is female. It's the reason I'm so damn curvy now. I hate it. I'm probably girlier than half of the female population of Konoha." Naruto said wrinkling his nose.

**-Tell them about your ability Kit-** Kyuubi said and Naruto could hear the enjoyment in her voice. Naruto bit his lip slightly wondering for a moment.

_-Well I'm telling them everything already. I might as well.-_ Naruto sighed outwardly and he looked around at the room.

"I also have this… well Kyuubi calls it an 'ability'." Naruto trailed off, suddenly nervous about telling them this.

"What is it?" Tsunade asked.

"Well since she's female and she gets broody occasionally during the merging was one of her broody times and well… Basically since I won't have kids the usual way. I can carry them instead." Naruto said hurriedly and everyone stared at him.

"What do you mean, not in the usual way?" Iruka asked, Naruto hadn't even told him this yet.

"Well. I'm sort of… well gay." Naruto closed his eyes wincing as he said it before Kakashi suddenly broke the tension by bursting out laughing. Naruto opened his eyes and glared at his teacher. "What?!" He snapped.

"Oh nothing, I just realised one of the many mysteries in my life." Kakashi chuckled wiping a tear from his eye glancing towards Sasuke who was frowning again.

"What mystery would that be?" Sakura asked angrily.

"Oh I'm sure it's not that interesting. And they might want to figure it out first before I go around telling people. Although I'm sure Naruto already knows." Kakashi said chuckling some more as Naruto turned bright red.

"You can't tell." He snapped and Kakashi nodded.

"I know, I know." He said before chuckling quietly to himself.

"Naruto, are you sure you're able to carry children?" Tsunade asked and Naruto nodded a dark look clouding his eyes a fact that did not go unnoticed by the shinobi in the room.

"Yes, I'm sure." He mumbled his hand covering his stomach for a second before he moved it away.

"There's one thing I don't understand." Sasuke said and everyone looked to him, it was the first time he had spoken since he had learnt about the Kyuubi.

"What?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Why the disguise. You're obviously more powerful than you let on. I mean you destroyed hundreds of shinobi with one attack. And your looks. Why hide?" Sasuke asked and everyone looked back to Naruto.

"Protection. The Third knew it wasn't safe. Especially if The Council found out." Naruto said.

"Naruto, you're strong enough to protect yourself." Sakura said frowning.

"I was six Sakura-chan, I hadn't had any training. I could not protect myself. _At all._" Naruto whispered the last part.

"Naruto, has anything happened?" Kakashi asked frowning and Naruto looked away.

"Nothing that important." Naruto whispered and Iruka placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder.

Sakura frowned and sat down next to Naruto, she hugged him gently and he smiled hugging her back.

"Okay, so what are we going to do now?" She asked and Naruto looked to her in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Well you said you kept your disguise because of the Council. Are you going to put it back on?" She asked and Naruto shuddered slightly.

"I have to." He whispered.

"You don't." Iruka said and Naruto shook his head.

"I do. If the Council found out that I was that strong…" Naruto trailed off and everyone stared at him.

"I won't allow them to." Tsunade said narrowing her eyes and Naruto looked at her smiling.

"It will be a unanimous vote. You won't have a choice." He said.

"We won't let them." Sasuke said angrily and everyone turned shocked eyes to him. He had his arms crossed and was glaring at Naruto who looked away. "You can't just give up and hide."

"I wasn't going to give up. But hiding is the only way to stay alive." Naruto said glaring back at Sasuke.

"You don't have to, we'll fight for you." Sakura said fiercely and Naruto chuckled darkly, a sound that was weird coming from the usually cheerful blonde.

"You're going to fight the whole of Konoha singlehandedly." He said shaking his head rolling his eyes.

"If I have to." She said glaring at him and Naruto smiled at her.

"Thank you Sakura-chan." He whispered hugging her again and hiding her face in her neck for a moment to try and stop the tears burning the backs of his eyes. "You don't know what it means to me."

"Naruto I know you have your reasons." Tsunade said her hands on her hips as she walked further into the room, Naruto looked up discretely wiping his eyes. "But if I find out after this that you have kept something this important from me again…"

She left the sentence hanging and Naruto gulped.

"Of course Baa-chan. I promise." He said and Tsunade nodded smiling brightly at him as she ruffled his hair.

"Good. Now I need a drink. Who wants one with me?" She asked her eyes flashing.

"Count me in." Kakashi said running his hand through his hair. Iruka rolled his eyes and stood.

"I better go and keep them in line." He said giving Naruto a quick hug. The adults all left the room and the three teenagers sat in an awkward silence.

"Dobe." Sasuke said slowly and Naruto nodded looking up. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"What?" Naruto asked shocked. Out of all of the things that he had imagined Sasuke to say, this was not one of them.

"Why. Didn't. You. Tell. Us? I understand wearing the disguise and pretending, but why not tell us?" Sasuke said and Naruto looked down at the bed.

"I uh… well…I guess I was…afraid." Naruto said

"Of what?" Sakura asked frowning and Naruto glanced to her.

"Losing all of you." Naruto whispered.

"…Losing…us." Sasuke said slowly and Naruto nodded, he could tell what was going through the Uchiha's head. Naruto had already lost Sasuke. Granted, he had been found again but he had left in the first place.

"Yeah. You're all like my family… I'm sorry though." He said. "For lying to you."

"It's okay Naruto. We understand." Sakura said and Naruto nodded but he kept his eyes trained on the bed.

"I've lost so many things in my life, I didn't want to lose any more." Naruto said slowly and Sakura frowned before a small smile came over her face.

"Well you won't lose us. No matter what you say so I want you to tell us everything." Sakura said and Naruto frowned.

"What?" He asked.

"Tell us everything." Sakura said and Naruto took a deep breath before nodding, they had a right to know.

"What do you want to know?" He asked and they looked thoughtful.

"How long have you been able to communicate with the Kyuubi?" Sasuke asked eventually and Naruto smiled bitterly.

"That's an easy one. Well it turns out that Yondaime-sama after used the seal to make sure that the Kyuubi wouldn't be allowed to talk to me and that was why no one was allowed to say anything of it to me. Well after I turned six and merged with her, the old man had to tell me. After that talking became regular. She explained everything to me… in detail." Naruto added shuddering slightly.

"Oh…" Sakura said slowly. "Well, you're shorter now than you were, you know, with your mask. Why?"

Naruto had to laugh at that and once he began he found it very difficult to stop. By the time he calmed down he was gasping for breath.

"Well?" Sasuke asked slightly annoyed.

"It's just, I'm short. I hate being short and I had a chance to be tall so I took it." Naruto said still chuckling slightly this time Sakura joined in while Sasuke just smirked.

"Dobe." He said rolling his eyes and Naruto just grinned.

"You can't call me that anymore." He chirped and Sasuke frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I didn't want the Council to get any ideas that I was above my 'level' so I played dumb. I'm actually quite smart." Naruto said smugly.

"How smart?" Sasuke asked and Naruto grinned.

"Smart enough to be able to plan a flawless idea of how to see Kakashi-sensei's face." Naruto said his grin turning slightly evil and Sasuke chuckled while Sakura squealed in excitement.

"Well, we'll have to do that later." Sakura said grinning and Naruto nodded. Sasuke frowned as he remembered something that had come up in the conversation.

"You're gay?" He said and Naruto looked to him with a surprised look on his face before he nodded.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Sakura asked her own frown matching Sasuke's.

"Because I was… afraid I guess." Naruto said shrugging.

"Baka. You don't have to be afraid of us." Sasuke said and Naruto smiled sheepishly.

"I know that now." Naruto said and Sasuke smirked.

"You should however be afraid of Ino and Kiba's reactions when they find out." He said and Naruto gulped. He knew that Kiba would be teasing him mercilessly when he found out how girly Naruto now looked.

----

Review please, constructive criticism only.

'_Erai Oni Doshaburi Moeteimasu no jutsu' -means- Great Demon Rain of Fire._


End file.
